Psalm 5:3 - GOD IN THE MORNING and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Psalm 5:3: GOD IN THE MORNING and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Psalm 5:3 (NIV) In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in
the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Psalm 5:3 (NLT) Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each
morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Once my morning caregivers (I call them my "get-up girls")
have me dressed and sitting up, once I've finished breakfast and am
ready to head out the door, my friends and I take an important pause.
We head for our favorite warm spot - the bay window seat in my
bedroom, which looks out over my backyard and the San Gabriel Mountains
beyond. Its one warm spot that invites sitting and lingering. In that
cozy corner, the three of us open a hymnbook to harmonize together
over some beautiful old hymns. Safeguarding a quiet moment, admiring
God's creation, and giving God pleasure each morning with our song
warm the soul as well as the body. Don't be in such a hurry with life
that you rush past those warm, quiet places where you meet with the
Lord. The peace and perspective that come from those few sweet moments
will color the rest of your day.
Father, the Bible tells how You met with Adam and Eve in the
Garden, in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8). I imagine there were warm,
quiet places in Eden where You loved to talk to our first parents.
Help me to find those moments in my day. Please don't let me hurry
past places and times where You seek fellowship with me. [A Spectacle
of Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby]
COMMENTARY
This psalm is sometimes called a "morning psalm" and underscores
the importance of a daily devotional time. Much depends upon how we
start each day, and what better way to begin the day than with a
personal time of meditation. An intimate fellowship demands
communication. The breakdown of communication presupposes disruption in
fellowship (cf. Gen 3:8). Therefore, to enjoy fellowship with the Creator,
one must make time to communicate with Him. God speaks to man
through His Word (103-105; 119:9-16); man talks to God through prayer
and then listens for the divine response (cf. 1 Sam 3:3-15; Matt
7:7, 8). One cannot live a Spirit-filled life without daily direction
and sustenance from God (cf. Prov 3:6; John 6:33-35). [Believers
SB]
The psalmist (David ) begins and ends each day with prayer,
awaiting new expressions of Gods fidelity and goodness (143:8) The
psalmist does not demand Gods grace but places hope in it (Mic 7:7;
Hab 2:1). [NLT SB 2008]
Although prayer is always good, there is special blessing
associated with prayer and meditation early in the day. Guidance is needed
for the activities of the day; rest is needed for the night. Note
the example of Abraham (Genesis 19:27), Jacob (Genesis 28:18), Moses
(Exodus 24:4), Gideon (Judges 6:38), Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19), and
especially that of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Mark 1:35). [Defenders
SB]
The secret of a close relationship with God is to pray to him
earnestly each morning. In the morning, our minds are more free from
problems, and then we can commit the whole day to God. Regular
communication helps any friendship and is certainly necessary for a strong
relationship with God. We need to communicate with him daily. Do you have a
regular time to pray and read God's Word? [Life Application SB]
There is no better habit than the habit of morning prayer, when
alone with God the soul prepares to discharge the duties and meet the
problems of the unknown day It is well to cultivate the habit of
offering the first fruits of our consciousness as a morning offering to
God. [SDA Bible Commentary]
Prayer in the morning - a commendable habit that helps a person
to dedicate all the activities of the day to the glory of God.
[Nelson SB]
Just as a morning routine of a good breakfast is healthy for
the body, so a morning routine of prayer and Bible reading is
nourishing for the spirit. It's like a daily Sabbath when we take time away
from our responsibilities to sit at the Lord's feet. We lay our
requests before him and wait expectantly for him to answer. Sometimes all
we need is the reminder of his gracious presence surrounding us.
The Bible says, "Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm
in the heavens" (Psalm 119:89). No matter what else is going on in
our lives, God's Word is sure. The Bible also says, "I will walk
about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts" (Psalm 119:45).
True freedom comes from seeking out, absorbing, and living by God's
ways. Daily time with even a small portion of God's Word connects us
to him for the day.
When we wait expectantly for the Creator of the universe each
morning, he draws near to us and restores our souls. [The Daniel Plan
365-Day Devotional re Psa. 5:3]
We all have trouble at times deciding what is important and
what isn't. I look at my calendar and to-do list, and a lot of times
I just freeze. Should I try to keep every appointment, make every
meeting, complete every project? And what about being a good husband and
father? When do I put my family first? And if I do all that, will my
recovery suffer? Or should my recovery be the most important thing of
all?
Weighing these choices and keeping them in place is
stressful. They are all important, and there just aren't any general rules
to help me sort it all out. When I can't decide, I put the choice
in God's hands; I let him tell me where to start.
Spending the first early minutes of the morning with God,
asking him to help us navigate through the known and the unknown in the
hours ahead, will do more to get our priorities in place than hours of
soul-searching and weighing our options.
God sees everything from start to finish, and his perspective
is perfect in every way. He also knows all the facts about
everything we might encounter on any given day. He knows us and our
situation, our loved ones, our hopes and dreams, trials and temptations.
When we add to that the fact that God wants us to succeed, we have
everything to gain from those early sunrise moments with him.
Father, take charge of my schedule today. Help me to stay
focused on you so that I can be the person you created me to be. In
Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by John &
Johnny Baker Psa. 88:13]
Those who do not provide for a set-aside time during the day
- preferably in the morning, when they can replenish their
spiritual resources - may find that they have to provide a time at the end
of the day for regret, for repentance, and for eating humble pie.
A traveler in the Himalayas told how he arose very early one
morning to watch the sun rise on the towering peaks. He said: "There, as
the day began to dawn, we saw arise before our enraptured gaze,
within a complete semicircle, twenty peaks each above twenty thousand
feet in height, snow-capped with virgin snow. For half an hour the
curtain was lifted and we inwardly worshiped. Then the mists began to
fill the valleys between, and the view was gone. Gone? No, not really
- it was forever laid up in our green and grateful memories."
That is what a quiet time in the early part of the day does
for you. Before the mists of worldly happenings blot out your view
of God, you can take a time-exposure of Him which is indelibly
imprinted on your mind. Then, after the mists close in, the vision is
still there within. You live in two worlds at once - drawing physical
strength from the world around you while drawing spiritual sustenance
from the world above you.
Pascal, the great French philosopher and Christian, once
said: "Nearly all the ills of life spring from this simple source:
that we are not able to sit still in a room." But what if in the
stillness, we were to meet with God? How healing that would be! We would
arise with what Stevenson calls "happy morning faces." We would become
children of the dawn.
Heavenly Father, give me the wisdom to be able to take "the
pause that refreshes," to drink every day from the living Fountain,
the Eternal spring. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. [Every Day With
Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psa. 88:13]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Wait quietly in My presence while My thoughts form silently in
the depths of your being. Do not try to rush this process, because
hurry keeps your heart earthbound. I am the Creator of the entire
universe, yet I choose to make My humble home in your heart. It is there
where you know Me most intimately; it is there where I speak to you in
holy whispers. Ask My Spirit to quiet your mind so that you can hear
My still, small voice within you. I am speaking to you continually:
words of Life . . . Peace . . . Love. Tune your heart to receive these
messages of abundant blessing. Lay your requests before Me and wait in
expectation. (1Ki. 19:12; Psa. 5:3) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
I am able to do immeasurably more than all you ask or
imagine. So think big when you pray, but remember that I always think
bigger! I am continually at work in your life, even when you can see
nothing happening. It's easy for you to feel stuck in a situation you'd
like to change because you can see only the present moment. But I
look at the big picture - all the moments of your life - and I am
doing more than you can imagine.
Try to stay in communication with Me as you go through this
day. You can talk with Me about anything because I understand you
perfectly. The easiest way to keep in touch is to begin each day with Me -
bringing Me your praises and requests. Then, as you get into your
activities, it's more natural to continue talking with Me.
The longer you wait to start communicating with Me, the more
effort it will take. So come to Me early, before you get too far into
your day. You may think you cannot spare the time for this, but
remember that you don't handle things alone. You work collaboratively
with the One who can do far more than you ask or imagine. (Eph. 3:20;
Psa. 93:1, 2; 5:3) [Jesus Today by Sarah Young]
SOME CLOSING THOUGHTS
The best time to fellowship with God is anytime. He's always
waiting, always inviting. But if we want to receive the most from our
time with him, there is one thing we should consider: we should
choose a time when we are at our best, fresh and awake, ready to
receive from him. For some, that is first thing in the morning; others
might find that evening is better. Still others might prefer
mid-afternoon or right before lunch. All that matters is that we choose a part
of the day that feels best to us and stick with it.
So what does fellowship with God consist of? Prayer? Bible
meditation? Yes. It also means being quiet and listening to what God has to
say to us. The most important thing to remember is that this
fellowship shouldn't feel forced. Think of it as sitting down with a close
friend or loved one. In such cases, we talk about lots of things - our
needs, our wants, our circumstances, our burdens, and more.
Conversation takes place, along with smiles, humor, encouragement, and words
of loving affection.
Fellowship with God shouldn't be a chore. It should be a time
we look forward to every day, an oasis of peace and devotion in our
busy days. How wonderful is it that God wants to be with us?
Thank you, Lord, for inviting me to spend time with you every
day, time to talk through challenges, be refreshed, and cast off my
burdens. In Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by
John & Johnny Baker]
If you're not a morning person, you don't have to dedicate a
full hour of prayer time. It's simply a time of bowing your heart
before God, saying, "Lord, I devote this day to you, my heart, my
life." This is a way to begin a surrendered day, following him wherever
he leads.
Another way is to feed our souls with nourishment from the
Bible. It is God's love letter to us, and he reveals himself through
his Word. The psalmist says about God's Word, "The precepts of the
LORD are right, giving joy to the heart" (Psalm 19:8).
It's a tremendous blessing to seek God with all our hearts.
How replenishing it is when we make a practice of seeking him as
part of our daily routine. [The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional re
Jer. 29:13]
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS:
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
